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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Sunday, 26 April 2009

TS Muhyidin is the DPM. He wanted to appoint one Rashid Yusuf as his press secretary. Rashid Yusof has the required credentials. He is an ex journalist. Most of the press secretaries of ministers are made up of ex journalists.

Rashid has served the NST and Malay Mail. He has also been press secretary for a number of years to Tun Daim Zainudin. TDZ was our finance minister for many years when Dr Mahathir was our PM. TDZ was also a close confidante to Tun Dr Mahathir.

But Rashid served as media consultant to KJ. Khairy Jamaludin is the MP for Rembau. He is also the Ketua Pemuda UMNO. He won the post after beating Khir Toyo. Khir Toyo beat Mukhriz Mahathir. That portion in his professional career is an unforgivable sin.

Rashid, people insist, must clean himself according to Islamic rites. He must wash himself 7 times with mud water and 7 times with clean water. I have written, with pristine water, if possible from the lakes in Langkawi. Maybe even mandatorily transported by Mukhriz. Or maybe, as an added requirement, Dr Mahathir must immerse his feet into the water first.

The person most chagrined is Khir Toyo. He deserves to be so. But Mukhriz and his supporters were incensed at KJ more than KT. Whereas in terms of losers' hierarchy, Khir Toyo has a better locus standi to be upset with KJ.

Mukriz's supporters went on the war path. They declared war on those who were instrumental in making KJ victorious. That would include many. Since I have supported KJ, I too may be included. But I am a Muay Thai nakmuay. I also carry an AK47. I shall be all right.

By definition, it must also include those pemuda delegates who actually voted for KJ. Arrest them and put them under ISA. They are a security threat. They can be fifth columnists serving the interests of foreign powers. They are KJ's legacy.

Rashid Yusuf was one of the field commanders in KJ's army. He was perhaps the oldest in the army. He coordinated many activities doing his level best to ensure his general wins. That is incumbent upon every subordinate officer. He must discharge his duties to the best of his ability and capability. Otherwise he would disgrace the uniform he is in.

Rashid enjoys a reputation as a skilful field commander. He caught the attention of many. That included Muhyidin Yassin, the DPM. Indeed the DPM was impressed with Rashid long before Rashid became KJ's field commander. DPM was impressed with the work Rashid did for Tun Daim. He must have wished he had a speechwriter like Tun Daim had.

It was his personal choice to have appointed Rashid. But his choice was questioned and grilled. Appointing Rashid was not tenable because Rashid had caused tension among races. This claim was made by a well known journalist with a newspaper associated with the MCA.

I am giving this lady journalist the title painted jezebel of the media world. She would have none of Rashid.

So she SMSed the DPM. She told DPM of her reservations. She says Rashid is unprofessional. A professional, she says will not question what she wrote. A professional will not accuse the Star as purveyor of Chinese triumphalism. Hence the final say on who is a professional or is not one, depends on an accreditation by this painted jezebel. She has turned herself into a one person congressional hearing committee. Ministers, take note. Go through her to get approval before appointing anyone.

A few days ago, one blogger wrote about the obnoxious Zeinab Bedawi. She was the interviewer who grilled Rais Yatim in the popular show Hard Talk. The blogger commended Rais on his performance and referred Zeinab in the worst possible description. I do not share his complimentary enthusiasm on Rais, but am in full agreement of his description of Zeinab.

Well, we have our own obnoxious Zeinab Bedawi in our midst. One who confers upon herself the absolute license to disparage anyone who doesn't share her views. But as is common among those who regard themselves as mighty and beyond reproach, she forgets Rashid has supporters and sympathisers. And among them is Rashid's son. A 17 year old who posted a moving comment on my blog as follows:

Harisudin anak BABA. said...

I think I know him the best,Well because I'm his only son.

I don't know much about politics.But I know enough that he is beinghonest with his job.He fights only for the right thing cause.He is in nobody side.He has always been an honorable man.He has many friends, they also respect him.

I feel sorry for DPM for being so easily influence by a heartlessblogger.

To Jtan,What have my beloved father done to you that you areso recklessly attacking him.How can you at sleep night I wonder.Or maybe you don't sleep at nightand have nothing else to do at night, and to attack my father.(I wonder if you have any childrenor family at home?)Is this how grown-up deal with their problem.Yay, what an example to showthe youngs.

To BABA tersayang,Don't worry Ba this will all past away.I and umi are praying for you everyday.

Its not too bad to be cursed,demonised and without a salaried job if one has lots of money tucked away...This process of "chopping off" comes with every change of political landscape.It happened to TDZ's men,Anwar's man,TDM's men...u see heroes becoming zeroes overnite.It happens in politics,corporate world,journalism...it runs thru the system.In the process MANY innocent,qualified and experienced ppl are chopped off and replaced by sympathetisers of the new regime.Those chopped off are vilified n become persona non grata...NO ONE wants to risk being seen connected to them.The bottom line is WE LOSE TALENTS AND EXPERIENCE.We have to stop this practise..we have to demarcate politics and professionalism.We can't continue to isolate and curtail talents because they are perceived to be supporters of someone purely cos they were working for them.The non bumis hv continuity(esp in corporate world)...but bumis..every summer we hv a new flock of swallows...thus the inexperience makes us easy target to be shot down by the hunters.

Encik Rashid is the victim of a conspiracy petpetrated by people who were his friends. JTan used to quote him in her articles. Not once, but several times. She also used Rashid to get through to some people. That's well known. The other person is Rashid's junior who is also vying for the Press sec job at the high office of the DPM. She was also the Press of former minister Dato JJ. She has her share of experience and exposure too. To think that Rashid is being "sent" by KJ to the DPM's office is the same as suggesting that Dato JJ is sending his ex-Press Sec to TS Muhyidin office. Dato JJ also trying to lobby TSMY?

This is a simple case of two persons vying for the same post. No more than that actually. Unless we are full of followers of conspiracy theories! Take the argument further okay? Since Dato JJ is close to the PM (or used to, some would say), is his former Press Secretary being sent to keep an eye on TSMY and then report back to Dato JJ who will duly forward the information to the PM. We hear stories...I don't believe them but we do hear stories. Believability depends on who's telling them.

Heck, go further with the spin okay? What if Rashid who had served Tun Daim before was sent to look into KJ's ops with a view of keeping an eye on the son in law of the former PM? The use of money won the day more than Rashid's press networking. The press didnt vote KJ. Umno people did. Having served KJ, Rashid pulled out and seek to resume life elsewhere.

You can spin the story any way you like. Maybe Rashid's rival for the job with the DPM used underhand tactics? Come on, he used to be Dato JJ's aide. But I don't think so. I think she can stand on her own, having had years of experience in dealing with the media too.

Who will be the loser? If you ask me, it's not Jtan; not Rashid; not his rival the ex Press Sec of Dato JJ; not KJ. It's TS Muhyidin.

What should he do then? Simple. Dont engage the two persons - ie Rashid and the ex Press secretary of Dato JJ. Get someone else who has the experience and maturity. Pay good money and you get good people.

Ayahanda mahathir? You mean BAPAK kpd Mukhriz? I think that family has pocketed enough tax payers money to be calkled worst things than what Dato Sak said. Ps la, Tun Mahathir dah plunder this country for 22 years. Ayahanda? What a joke.